On South Africa's Garden Route, the Kurland Hotel is just outside Plettenberg Bay in Nature's Valley. Set in 700 hectares of grounds, it's far enough from the town to feel off the beaten track. The one to two-hour drive from Port Elizabeth takes you along beautiful roads through the Tsitsikamma National Park, dotted with signs warning you not to feed the baboons.

We like

Beautiful grounds perfectly complement the 12-suite hotel's relaxed grandeur. Each room feels spacious and secluded, while the main house itself, with geckos on the wall and open fires in every room and on the veranda, is idyllic. Paddocks full of polo ponies, too, make for a sense of unpretentious decadence; borrow a (free) quad bike and take a ride up to the polo pavilion, or go at Christmas or Easter to watch a major match. Polo lessons can also be arranged on the most co-operative ponies, as can casual horse-riding lessons for all levels of proficiency.

While Kurland's faded grandeur is what makes it so charming, some elements are fractionally on the wrong side of shabby chic. And not everyone will like the (very occasional) sound of quad bikes roaring around the grounds.

The rooms

Large, usually floral rooms, with acres of pillows and cushions as well as your own open fire and, in many, your own private plunge pool on a veranda outside. An attic for the children upstairs also means they can be close without being in the way.

The other guests

A mixture of honeymooners and families with children means that Kurland has a family feel in the best possible way, although at least one new husband was looking worried that the whole set-up was making his wife broody within days of their wedding.

The food and drink

On first sight, the traditionalist menu doesn't look terribly inspiring, but the French-influenced standard of cooking is remarkably high. Attentive, friendly staff are happy to serve guests in the quirky, old-fashioned dining room, in the library, outside or in their rooms; there's also the most extensive honesty bar you're likely to come across in a long while. Afternoon tea with freshly made cakes makes for a very welcome break in the day.